Tsavo West National Park |
Located in South Eastern Kenya, the altitude ranges between 200 - 1000m. The park is a vast expanse of savanna stretching from Mtito Andei, along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway and south to the Tanzanian border. The North Eastern boundary along the Highway adjoins Tsavo East National Park, but Tsavo West has a more varied topography and a more diverse array of habitats than its neighbour.
Tsavo West National Park covers 7065 km2, approximately 30% of Kenya's area under parks, and contains a diversity of habitats, wildlife and a mountainous scenic landscape. The park's habitats include open plains alternating with Savannah bush and semi desert scrub, acacia woodlands; rocky ridges and outcrops and more extensive ranges and isolated hills; belts of riverine vegetation; palm thickets and on the Chyulu hills, mountain forest.There are numerous rocky outcrops and ridges and part of the park, towards the Chyulu Hills, is of recent volcanic origin with lava flows and ash cones including the Shetani lava flow, an example of a recent volcano.
In the far south western corner on the Kenya Tanzania border is Lake Jipe, part of which is in the park. This very attractive lake is fed by runoff from Mt. Kilimanjaro and the North Pare mountains. At Mzima Springs, in the North of the park, water that has filtered underground from the Chyulu Hills gushes from below a lava ridge into a series of clear pools.Temperature ranges from 20 - 30º C and rainfall from 200mm - 700mm.
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS
Recent Volcanoes, lava flows and caves with potential for geological and cave exploration and hiking. Mzima Springs & underwater hippo and fish watching.
WILDLIFE - Leopard, Cheetah, Wild dogs, Buffalo, Rhino, Elephant, Giraffe, Zebra, Lion,Crocodile, Mongoose, Hyrax, Dik- dik, Lesser Kudu, and Nocturnal Porcupine. Prolific birdlife features 600 species.
Safaris that will take you to Tsavo West National Park
It is the largest Park in Kenya with an area of 21,812 Km2 Tsavo National Park was divided into East and West for administrative purposes. The two Parks are divided by Nairobi–Mombasa railway /road. 
Shaba National Reserve is situated in the hot and arid fringes of Kenya's vast Northern Frontier District and lies to the east of Buffalo Springs Reserve, just across the Great North Road. The Reserve takes it's name from a cone of volcanic rock and evidence of the intensity of it's volcanic upheaval is demonstrated by the formidable lava flow which the traveler has to cross to reach this remote wilderness. Shaba's northern border is marked by the flow of the Ewaso Nyiro River on it's way to the Lorian Swamp, it's banks fringed by riverine forest and clusters of doum palms. Many small hills and rocky kopjes punctuate the rugged and dry terrain south of the river. Shaba is home to the many different species of game found in Samburu and Buffalo Springs Reserves with small herds of elephant and other plain game moving freely throughout these three reserves and the surrounding wilderness.Shaba Reserve is 130 km2 on the southern back of the Ewaso Nyiro river to the East of Buffalo Springs Reserve. The reserve has a unique landscapes of rounded and rugged hills and undulating plains. Mainly wooded and bushy grassland, riverine forest and swamps, with over 50 species of large mammals including reticulated giraffe, grevys zebra, elephant oryx, somali ostrich, hippo, crocodiles, gemuk, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena.Large flocks of helmeted and vulturine guinea fowls are a common attraction.
Shimmering like a mirage in the harshly beautiful desert landscape of northern Kenya lie the blue-green waters of Lake Turkana. On its shores is the Sibiloi National Park, harbouring one of the world’s greatest treasures, the three-million-year-old, Koobi Fora palaeontological site. First discovered by Dr Richard Leakey and his team in 1972, Sibiloi is now universally recognized as the ‘Cradle of Mankind’ and the most likely site of the biblical Garden of Eden.
Samburu National Reserve is situated in the hot and arid fringes of Kenya's vast Northern Frontier District. The area is home to the Samburu tribe, pastoral relatives of the Masai. The landscape is rugged and dramatic - against a backdrop of volcanic mountains, gaunt hills and withered scrub tree punctuate the sparse and dry terrain with clusters of the incredibly hardy desert rose providing the occasional flash of vivid color. The Ewaso Nyiro river, lifeline of the area, runs along the southern boundary dividing Samburu from Buffalo Springs Reserve. Crocodile and hippo share the river with the many small herds of elephant which bathe and frolic in the muddy brown waters during the heat of the day before returning later to browse on the lush vegetation of the riverine forest. Buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah and plains game may also be seen but a special feature of this Reserve are the various species of game unique to these northern parks - Beisa oryx, the long necked gerenuk, Gravy's zebra, reticulated giraffe and the blue shanked Somali ostrich.Samburu Reserve covers an area of 104 km2 on the northern bank of Uaso Nyiro river. The reserve has a unique landscapes of rounded and rugged hills and undulating plains. Hot and Dry, mainly wooded and bushy grassland, riverine forest and swamps. Over 50 species of large mammals including reticulated giraffe, grevys zebra, elephant oryx, somali ostrich, hippo, crocodiles, gemuk, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena. Large flocks of helmeted and vulturine guinea fowls are a common attraction.
Located only about 7 km from the city centre, the park is easily accessible on tarmac roads, mainly through Langata Road.The 117 km2 Nairobi National Park is unique by being the only protected area in the world with a variety of animals and birds close to a capital city. As expected, the park is a principal attraction for visitors to Nairobi. The park also serves many residents and citizens living in the city and has a diversity of environments with characteristic fauna and flora. Open grass plains with scattered acacia bush are predominant. The western side has a highland dry forest and a permanent river with a riverine forest in the south. In addition, there are stretches of broken bush country and deep, rocky valleys and gorges with scrub and long grass. Man-made dams have also added a further habitat, favourable to certain species of birds and other aquatic biota(life forms). The dams also attract water dependent herbivores during the dry season.The park has a rich/diverse birdlife with 400 species recorded. However all species are not always present and some are seasonal. Northern migrants pass through the park primarily during late March through April. Nairobi National Park is one of the most successful of Kenya's rhino sanctuaries that is already generating a stock for reintroduction in the species former range and other upcoming sanctuaries. Due to this success, it is one of the few parks where a visitor can be certain of seeing a black rhino in its natural habitat. To the south of the park is the Athi-Kapiti Plains and Kitengela Migration and dispersal area. These are vital areas for herbivores dispersal during the rains and concentrate in the park in the dry season.
Mt. Kenya lies about 140 km North, North-East of Nairobi with its Northern flanks across the Equator. The mountain has two main peaks - Batian (5200m) and Nelion (5188m). The mountains slopes are cloaked in forest, bamboo, scrub and moorland giving way on the high central peaks to rock, ice and snow. Mt. Kenya is an important water catchment area, supplying the Tana and Northern Ewaso Ngiro systems. The park, which was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997 and is also a Biosphere Reserve, covers 715 km2, and includes the Peaks consisting of all the ground above 3200m with two small salients extending lower down to 2450m along the Sirimon and Naro Moru tracks. Surrounding the park is Mount Kenya National Reserve with an area of approximately 2095 km2.Climate, flora and fauna on Mt. Kenya varies with altitude.
Malindi Marine Park and Reserve lie between Lat. 3o and 4o south, about 118 km from Mombasa town. It is located to the south of Malindi town. The marine park is endowed with magnificent resources such as fringing reefs, coral gardens in the lagoons, sea grass beds, mangroves, mudflats, and high fish diversity, marine mammals (e.g. dolphins), turtles and various species of shorebirds
One of Kenya’s most recent marine parks, Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve lies a few kilometres north of Mombasa Island, slightly north of the Nyali Headland, and comprises a 10 sq km national park surrounded by a 200 sq km national reserve. The reef attracts an incredible range of fish, most of which are almost iridescent in colour and fantastically marked. Look out for the celestial blue and jade-green parrotfish, striped zebra fish, multi-coloured angelfish and the soup plate-sized butterfly fish.
Meru National Park is located East-north-east of Mount Kenya in Meru District of Eastern Province, covering 870km2.Meru is a savanna National Park, 35km east of Maua town in the north eastern lowlands below the Nyambeni hills. Meru is part of a complex of protected areas along the Tana river that includes the adjacent Bisanadi and Mwingi National Reserves (to the east and south respectively), Kora national park and Rahole national reserve. The wetter North Western sector is hilly, with rich volcanic soils. The land flattens towards the East, where grey alluvial volcanic soils appear. The area is crossed by numerous permanent streams, draining from the Nyambenes and flowing in parallel between tounges of lava, south eastwards towards the Tana River. As well as the many streams that cross it, the park is bounded by three large rivers: the Tana to the South, the Ura to the South West and the Rojeweru to the East. There are several prominent inselbergs of basement rock, notably Mughwango and Leopard rock. Rainfall is 635-762mm in the west and 305-356mm in the east.
The Maasai Mara is considered by many to be one of Kenya's finest National Reserves. The rolling grasslands offer ideal game viewing and photographic opportunities and the grassy plains are broken by rocky outcrops which are favorite midday resting places for lion, for which the Mara is famous. 
The park is located in Central Kenya, 140km north-west of Nairobi, in Nakuru County in the Kenyan Rift Valley . It covers an area of 188 km2.
The highest and purest of the Great Rift Valley lakes, Lake Naivasha lies approximately 80 kms west of Nairobi on the floor of the Rift. The Lake shores are lined with fertile and flourishing horticultural farms and thousands of yellow barked acacias. Naivasha is home to more than 340 species of birds, has a resident population of hippo and small herds of plains game are found all around the shores. Bird and game viewing is by boat or on foot. The lakeshore was, for many years, the home of the late authoress Joy Adamson and it was here that she first raised Elsa, the lioness. Mount Longonot, an extinct volcano, lies just east of the Lake and Hell's Gate National Park south east, with its challenging rock climbs, where game abounds and birdlife includes the rarest of Kenya's vulture population, the Lammergeyer, which nests on the cliffs. 
Lake Bogoria lies just south of Lake Baringo but contrasts sharply with Baringo's green and lush surroundings. This soda lake, with its shores of hot springs, boiling geysers and steam jets, stark evidence of the volcanic origins of the Rift Valley, lies hidden behind ridge after ridge of barren stony scrub land. Although primarily scenic, Bogoria is by no means devoid of wildlife. Birds are plentiful and, at times, when the waters of Lake Nakuru are low, thousands of flamingo make this their home. On the north-eastern shore the elusive Greater Kudu can be found. Lake Bogoria National Reserve is owned and managed by Baringo County Council with assistance from KWS. The reserve covers 114 km2 and is famous for spectacular hot springs and geysers. To the east of the reserve is the scenic Siracho escarpment that descends steeply to the lake shore. Hot and dry, most of the reserve is occupied by the lake and the remaining areas are covered by bushed grasslands except the lake's south shore which has an acacia-ficus woodland. The northern shore has a papyrus swamp.The reserve is unique because of its herd of the rare Greater Kudu. There are also buffaloes, zebras, impalas, dik diks and many small mammals. Bogoria is also an area of significant ornithological interest with 135 species of birds recorded. Like in Nakuru, the alkaline lake waters allow growth of blue-green algae that periodically attracts thousands of flamingos.
Kisite Mpunguti Marine Reserve is an enchanted realm of living coral gardens, sculpted islands, wheeling seabirds and sparklingly clear seas. This world-famous marine Park promises an underwater world of unbelievable colour, discovery and vibrancy. The marine reserve, which was established to protect the scenic islands and special habitats of a wide range of endemic marine animals and breeding migratory birds, lies in the coral gardens beginning about 1 km south of Wasini Island.
An ornithological treasure house, the Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve is a cool and shaded retreat; one of the last remnants of Africa's once huge coastal forests. Long isolated it hosts some of Africa's most rare and unusual creatures, and makes the ideal African safari escape from the brilliance of the Indian Ocean coast. This unique forest sanctuary lies at the northern end of an arc of forest, which stretches south along the Tanzanian coast to Mozambique.
Amboseli National Park is located on the border with Tanzania, Kajiado District, South Kenya; Covers 392km2.
The Aberdares are part of Kenya's central highlands, running roughly north south between Nairobi and Thomsons Falls with a range of almost 13,000 ft. The topography is diverse with deep ravines that give way to gentler valleys separated by steep hills and rocky outcrops. The park is an important water catchment area providing water to the Tana and Athi rivers and part of Central Rift and Northern drainage basins. The climate is wet and moist. The park is surrounded by a predominantly indigenous forest, whose management is under an MoU between KWS and the Forest Department. Animal life is most abundant in the forest zone. Large mammals are represented by elephants, buffalo, bongo and black rhino among others. Carnivores include lion and leopard, whereas primates are represented by baboon, black and white colobus and sykes monkeys. The park is rich in bird life with over 250 species recorded. The Jackson's Francolin is endemic.
